The Avoca area is a wonderful place for all outdoor activities. The Avoca Bottoms is filled with wildlife, bird watching, and hiking trails. The Avoca Lake offers great fishing for spring bluegills, crappies and many large northern and bass. And if you turkey hunt, the hills in the area are alive with big toms waiting for your call.

Photos by Davina Meckley

Avoca is in the Lower Wisconsin Riverway which contains the last 50 freeflowing miles of the Wisconsin river.

The area has something for everyone who loves the outdoors and nature.

Avoca, a small, beautiful village nestled between lush hills and scenic Wisconsin river straddles the northwest border of Iowa County. Avoca's yearly celebrations include: Fireman's Annual Celebration in February, St. Patrick's Day Parade in March, Memorial Day Celebration in May, Country at the Crossroads Music Festival in June, Fourth of July in July, and Labor Day Celebration in September. Avoca has the biggest Prairie Land east of the Mississippi River, from which you are able to walk to the Wisconsin River and enjoy the natural beauty.

In 2008, Avoca dedicated its new Veteran's Memorial in Legion Park on Front Street, complete with a retired military tank. The Avoca Lakeside Park features a campground, ancient Indian mounds, ball diamond, concession stand, two picnic shelters, playgrounds, a swim at your own risk beach, and boat ramp.

The Avoca Campground has 75 sites, accommodating both permanent and vacationing campers. Sites are large and well spaced, which allows for all campers from tenters to RV's. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at each site. The campground is open from April 15 through November 30. Reservations are recommended for holiday weekends. Call 605-532-6188 for campground information. Indian mounds are in the park overlooking the Avoca Lake. The group includes 6 linear and 4 conical mounds. The Avoca Lake is backwater of the Wisconsin River and is great for fishing, no-wake boating, canoeing and kayaking. The lake is approximately 2 miles long and during most of the summer is shallow, with the deepest areas about 8-10 feet. The Avoca Prairie is located about 2 miles east of the village and is one of four Department of Natural Resources public hunting area within 7 miles of the village. Game common to the area are the whitetail deer, wild turkey, waterfowl, pheasants, and other small game. The prairie is the largest contiguous prairie east of the Mississippi River. The bottomlands are covered with many different grasses, flowers, and other plants.